Apple day, sans ride 10/03/20

[dirt dame 559]

SO...about two years ago, while exploring new back roads up in the San Bernardino mountains, I came across the Stetson Creek Ranch, who's main business is keeping up a 100 year old heirloom apple orchard, and letting anybody who has a 4 wheel drive vehicle (or in my case, a dualsport bike) come in and pay to pick apples.  The first year, just my friend KJ and I went there to check the place out.  The second year, KJ created a public page on FB to invite riders to join us.  We ended up with about a half dozen women and no guys on that one.  I had planned to post the annual apple ride here on this forum this year....but we all know how this year has turned out in general, and specifically how it's been for the last month for the national forests in this state, due to wild fires.

Right now, the El Dorado fire is just about squelched.  There is no smoke rising anywhere, and a few fire crews are on hand to make sure that there are no flare ups.  They did an excellent job of keeping the fire from racing north of highway 38, though there were scattered and isolated burned spots where embers had drifted and touched off trees....luckily none of which got a chance to spread and take off.  The forest is officially closed, probably until the first rain....so of course, no trail riding or camping.  Forest roads are only open to residents and businesses at the moment.

I wanted to see how my favorite area had fared, and in particular, I wanted to see Stetson Creek Ranch again.  Heck, I just wanted to see the forest again.  So I hopped into my truck, Hemi The Rhoid , and drove up there, as it was opening day for the season of apple picking up on the side of the mountain.  Traffic was somewhat light and the scenery near Mill Creek was disheartening to look at, as most of it was just ashen gray ground with a few charred black tree skeletons scattered about here and there.  I didn't bother to take any pictures of that sort of stuff, because I think we have all seen enough of that.  Further up the mountain, the devastation was less visible.

The forest route 1N86 was in pretty good shape going in, but is so narrow, that a couple of cars I met coming from the other direction were problems to be dealt with.  I had to back uphill, to a clear area to let them get around me.  The last part of the trail, after going through the ranch gate was a true four wheel situation, maybe not on the descent so much, but certainly picking my way up the steep loose dirt, rocks and ruts going back out.  It had been a lot more fun on my FE for sure.  When I pulled into the orchard, Patty was there to meet customers and we chatted for a bit, before I wondered off amongst the trees with a picker pole and a bag.  There was only one other vehicle there when I arrived.  There never are many people there, due to the long dirt drive in and the requirement for 4X4 drive.  That really thins out the herds a lot.  It was a beautiful afternoon on the mountain....not too warm...and very peaceful, but it was a little sad too, because my friends weren't there with me.  So, I just had to remind myself to be thankful that fire fighters had made sure that this afternoon was even possible.  Hopefully, next year, I will be able to post a report again on an actual dualsport ride.

Fire fighters sucked plenty of water out of the Stetson Creek Ranch pond to help douse flames.  I had never seen the pond so low.

On my way south again, I decided to swing by Oak Glen to see how that area was doing.  A lot more visible burned areas, but it was an absolute mad house of crowds and activity for their annual apple days, that made Julian's apple days look tame by comparison.  Crowds milling everywhere.  There are no sidewalks, so pedestrians were strolling around on the road.  Cars were jammed on every available speck of roadside space and parking lot attendants collecting fees for cars that couldn't find themselves a roadside spot.  It reinforced my appreciation for places that provided experiences like Stetson Creek, that's for sure.

[Wierdrider 187]

Thanks for sharing Mimi, great to see that Stetson Creek survived👍

[dirt dame 559]

18 hours ago, Wierdrider said:

Thanks for sharing Mimi, great to see that Stetson Creek survived👍

And all the surrounding forest routes as well.😊